Bad Luck Woman Blues

[myth]

Did you ever have a bad luck woman on your trail?
Did you ever have a bad luck woman on your trail?
Always keeps you broke, always keeps you in jail.

I used to be happy, (as good Lord), all the time,
I used to be happy, (as good Lord), all the time,
but soon as I got this woman, (lost) all I can call mine.

My bad luck woman is a jinx and a worry too,
My bad luck woman is a jinx and a worry too,
I can't get rid of her no matter what I do.

I tried to make her quit me by callin' another woman's name,
I tried to make her quit me by callin' another woman's name,
She said, That is all right, he loves me just the same.

She keeps a ra't's foot in her hand at night when she goes to sleep,
She keeps a ra't's foot in her hand at night when she goes to sleep,
to keep (me with) her, so I won't make no midnight creep.

My bad luck woman keeps me feelin' blues,
My bad luck woman keeps me feelin' blues,
I can't get rid of her, she sticks to me like glue.

Keep that bad luck woman away with a blend of Spanish moss, black pepper, mullein, sweet sage, vandal root, cypress, cigar tobacco, and a puff of goofer dust cloaked by a swarthy cologne of vetiver, lime, dark musk, caramel accord, and lilac.

At first this is very mossy, with a kind of moist vegetation and damp earth shroud. It stayed this way with a lot of throw for the first hour or two, and I wasn't liking it so much. I like the moss/earth smell, but I don't necessarily want to smell like that myself. Now I'd say about 2.5 hours in and there's the caramel! Yay! Now the mossiness is more subdued, although still underneath, and there's the touch of caramel and some other stuff I'm not entirely sure I can identify. Maybe a touch of pepper and tobacco? I'm going to have to do a full test on this one again later to decide completely, as it's very much a morpher on me. Waiting for dry-down I was thinking it was off to the swaps pile, but now I'm wavering.

[hecate_jones]

This reminded me weirdly of Enraged Groundhog Musk in the bottle, with the sweet dark musky caramel I get from that. On, it was a completely different thing. The first scent that hit me on skin was salty sea spray, very much like the undernotes in Jolly Roger with something I kept trying to identify as maybe a sort of anise... then I realised it's nutmeg. Lots of nutmeg. It's a strange juxtaposition, the warm earthy spicy musk and nutmeg with what smells like clean fresh salty sea notes. Later on, I get more woody notes and less spice, the spiciness hangs back and it's more of a calm, dark sort of clean scent. An hour or so after trying it, I get nutmeg again. Nutmeg and musk. Well, maybe my skin loves nutmeg. Overall, not a bad scent, but not one of my favourites.

[Sistinas]

a review of Bad Luck Woman Blues

 

Vial ~ At first there is a foody scent, mostly the caramel, but as I continue to smell it, I can pick out the pepper, sage and cypress and just a hint of lime.

 

Wet ~ On my skin the scent so far has not changed from what I was able to pick up from the bottle. Personally I pick out the pepper and the sage more than the caramel now.

 

Drying ~ The scent has not changed at all, but as I bring my wrist to my nose I am able to pick of wafts of caramel, but the scent is not very sweet, it maybe has just a slight hint of sweetness, most likely because it is tempered by the pepper and sage.

 

Dry ~ Bad Luck Woman Blues remains the same as when I first smelled it in the bottle. Just a tiny touch of sweetness from the caramel with the pepper, sage holding it in place so it is not an overwhelming caramel scent.

 

Fade ~ The scent is starting to fade softly on my wrist and it seems the caramel is trying to hold on more than any of the other components.

 

Final thoughts ~ Bad Luck Women Blues certainly is a different scent. I do like that the caramel is not the strongest component to this scent, I do wish I could have picked out more of the moss. I am sure it is there and maybe because it so well blended I can't pick it out. I think the balance of this scent is rather good, the pepper and the sage hold the caramel down so that this is not a really sweet or too foody of a scent. On a scale of 1 to 5, I would give this a 4.

[cranberry]

This is a strange combination of scents – rich foody caramel and moss. The moss-dirt scent brings to my mind King of Clubs. This is a dark scent and it has a texture to it, it seems velvety. This scent doesn’t change much on me and remains caramel and moss as it wears. I can’t really think of another scent like it with the combination of notes. I can’t really pick out the other notes. The darker notes and moss keep the caramel in check. Like its companion, this has a good wear life. It’s an unusual scent.

[wichapi]

I was soooo disappointed by this one. I lovelovelove the Blues!!! Foody scents just don't work on me or appeal to my nose, and the caramel just all the other notes. Also, I noticed there was a little oversight in the description regarding mention of the writer/performer of "Bad Luck Woman Blues," Papa Charlie Jackson... one of the early greats from the deep, dark south. Just a thang I have about crediting artists.

 

ETA: Found the credits for this at the end of the lyrics in "Shiny & New" section. Thanks sookster. Good to know, hard to find.

Edited May 6, 2007 by wichapi

[Rock Geisha]

I was very excited to try this one because I also love the blues. Thankfully, I also love foody scents.

 

In bottle: At first sniff, it's all caramel. Inhaling, I smell lime and pepper. Second sniff, I can smell the sage. The vetiver is there, too.

Wet: The mullein and sage come to the forefront and it starts to smell very medicinal. There's still a sweetness to it. As it starts to dry, it becomes very spicy, with the cigar smell at the forefront and a sweet, buttery back of caramel.

Drydown: It's long and strong but I am unsure if it's down to get the friction on. This dries down to a warm sagey caramel with a hint of vetiver. It's got a heft to it but it's not too manly for a girly girl like me.

 

I'd give this a four out of five with bonus points for that beautiful label.

[sd357]

I had high hopes for this bottle - I absolutely adore mosses and cypress and tobacco. But I opened up the bottle to sniff and all I could pick up was the caramel.

 

On, it's the same. Caramel/butterscotch. I just don't like foody scents - and I had truly hoped the caramel note in this wouldn't be something that my skin would amp up like crazy.

 

So off to the trading stash this bottle goes.

[pariahsdream]

Wow, I'm not getting ANY carmel at all. Firstly it started off as a heady warm citrusy- like hot English tea with fat chunks of lemon seeped into it. It was gorgeous just like that when wet but now its morphed and while I'm still getting that 'tea' smell (which might be the moss come to think of it) I'm starting to spices and florals- not much floral though. Like waving a dried boquet (bouquet?) around. This I LOVE!

[zenvodunista]

In the bottle this smelled like caramel and rich humus to me. On, it first was all wood, then moss, then dirt... And it was way too much of those things.

 

I went off and made dinner and recently sniffed again: Oh! Now it's a rich, dark, spicy, EARTHY, caramel. Sweet but dark. Whoa.

 

It's really lovely now - but I'm worried about that drydown. I will be letting mellow a bit, and then I'll take it out for another drive.

 

EDIT:

 

It's been a few months now of BLWB aging in my closet.

 

When I apply it, it's first a very mossy scent. Kind of overwhelming. I've yet to wear it out, because I keep testing it, and wondering if it's going to stay mossy, forgetting that an hour later it smells absolutely beguiling. The drydown reminds me a lot of Tireseas's caramel/tobacco drydown. Once the moss settles down, it keeps the caramel from being too sweet. The notes blend, and the dry down is dark, sexy, sweet, sinful and rich.

 

It makes me think of that saying about coffee, "Black as night, and sweet as sin."

 

No coffee on the nose, but that sentiment describes the scent perfectly.

 

Black as night, sweet as sin: Bad Luck Woman Blues.

 

I keep meaning to swap it, but I don't think I will.

 

N.

Edited September 29, 2007 by zenvodunista

[Keslynn]

This is definitely a strange (but good) one and definitely a morpher. When I first put it on my skin, it was very earthy with a hint of a dark floral. Then the earthiness retreated to the edges and there is a dark rich scent that's floral or maybe aquatic. It makes me think "round" which is probably not helpful for anyone else. Maybe dark aquatic? Whatever it is, it smells pretty nice. Then, the caramel stops by to say hello and sweeten the whole deal. Mmmmm... Caramel. At this stage, Bad Luck Woman reminds me of Tiresias, though she doesn't have the sharpness of tobacco. She's earthier and definitely on the dark feminine side. Makes me think of the whole Hooker With A Heart of Gold motif.

 

Then it gets weird. I'm eating dinner and not paying as much attention to obsessively sniffing my perfume, and I get a whiff of Sugar Skull. I am really confused by this because I haven't worn SS in a while. I think maybe it's on my clothes, but that can't be it either. Turns out, Bad Luck Woman is out at the IHOP. The scent has completely changed into the maple syrup-y smell from Sugar Skull. Not what I expected at all.

 

Verdict: Unsure. I really like the initial stages - earthy, aquatic and caramel - but I am a little weirded out by the total morph into a Sugar Skull clone. I will have to try it a few more times before I decide.

 

Edited to add:

Verdict is this one's a keeper! My boyfriend loves it. He actually requested that I wear it again, and he's never done that before.

Edited May 12, 2007 by Keslynn

[emzebel]

Wow, this is a gorgeous, gorgeous blend - one of the first caramel blends I've been able to wear, perhaps because here the caramel doesn't dominate, but just adds a hint of sweetness to the rich shimmering darkness of the moss, herbs, tobacco, vetiver and lime.

 

I am finding it very hard to describe this, except that I love it. It is rich and earthy and sensual, with enough sweetness to keep it from becoming harsh.

[forspecial_plate]

Note, 2009/January: Skip to bottom for final edit

 

I have some mixed feelings about BLWB. It took a whole day of wearing it to figure out that I do really like it. See, I absolutely love Mr. Nancy, and I can't help thinking of BLWB as Mr. Nancy Deluxe. They are so similar to me, I guess because my skin is emphasizing the sugary notes of both scents. So I was a little sad, because at first I thought, 'I should have just bought Mr. Nancy instead!'.

 

Anyway, the throw is almost all sugar. Up close, I can smell the other notes. Moss that smells almost mildewy, but not in a bad way. Spices and herbs start coming out later. I can tell that other notes are there, supporting the scent. But really, it's so complex that not many notes stand out on their own, except the caramel accord which is very strong for me.

 

This scent is a winner, and now I don't really have to get a bottle of Mr. Nancy for a while (I still want to eventually). Although, I bet if I tested them side by side, they differ more than they seem to in my mind.

 

Edit (nearly a year later) I'm wearing this tonight and it has aged into something incredible.....still caramel-sweet, but the lime is more pronounced, and as a whole the blend is just drop-dead sexy! I am so glad I didn't get rid of my bottle!

 

Final Edit! This scent has become one of my favorites, from my whole collection. It has aged incredibly well. It's mostly moss, herbs, caramel, and lime. Caramel can be too sweet for me to wear, but in this blend it fits so well. It's balanced and complimented weirdly by the other notes. I guess it took some aging for it to come into its own, or maybe my sense of smell is just more educated now. Whatever the reason, I love this one so, so much~!

Edited January 26, 2009 by Forspecial Plate

[Teggy]

I felt the urge to buy this simply on principal. I'm a bad luck woman. I have the stupidest luck in the world sometimes. Still, I wasn't sure based on the components. I tried it out at will call and found it was too my liking and decided to get some decants.

 

This reminds me of something between Sugar Skull and Anaconda. It's no quite as "wow!" as Anaconda, but not as sickeningly sweet as Sugar Skull. It's happy medium, with a decent amount of throw. I don't expect it to last too long, but it's already been close to 3 hours. I guess we'll see.

[sookster]

straight sniff from the bottle this *is*

arrival at the sabbath & homage to the devil zombified

 

personally, the mossy loaminess of this is forefront...and

it stays there...

ultra light caramel pops up, but that earthiness is overwhelming

mossy earth and sweet do not play well with me...

 

when i saw the reviews referencing anaconda/sugar skull, i thought i had

this in the bag...

 

ah but it is such a fun bpal ride

 

i am sure i can find BLWB a loving home in no time

[Extispex]

This just arrived today. Oh my.

 

First I need to say that every note in this blend just called to me - I love it all, the mosses, the pepper the herbs, everything. Except two. I wasn't too sure about the lilac, and the caramel terrified me.

 

I've been avoiding foody scents like the plague. I absolutely do not want to smell like candy, cookies, cakes, chocolate, or a ham sandwich. But I was hoping the caramel note in this would linger nicely in the background, shrouded by those wonderful mossy, spicy, earthy notes.

 

Know what? It doesn't.

 

Know what else? I don't care - I adore it.

 

In the bottle, this is a spicy caramel. And I should also add the label is beautiful. Made me homesick for New Orleans.

 

On, wet, the mosses and herbs take a front seat for a while, while the caramel grants the ghost of sweetness to the blend, and the gentle veil of lilac softens the scent. I'm going to make a confession. The first time I tried this, the wet stage made me cry it was so gorgeous. And I'm so not a weeper. But I've never smelled anything like this, and for a moment I just sat stunned while the tears gathered in my eyes. Gosh here they come again.

 

The dry-down brings the caramel back to the fore, but what a gorgeous caramel. It doesn't really smell like something one would eat, but rather something one would drown in. Happily. BLWB is luxurious, with just an edge of darkness, rich and lush and seductive. A whispered promise you follow to your doom.

 

This is without a doubt the most compelling fragrance in my bpal collection. I still can't believe I've been sitting here getting misty-eyed over an aroma, but Bad Luck Woman Blues just became my favorite. She has totally seduced me, and though I have a rule against hoarding BPAL, I think maybe rules are made to be broken.

[themerrybaker]

Bad Luck Woman Blues reminds me of two things: the "dirty-sweet" line from T. Rex and summer as a kid. This oil smells like a hot summer day, a Slo-Poke sucker, squashed bugs, and a muddy creek bed to explore. A very memorable scent which I think will improve with age.

[CiCi]

In the bottle, Bad Luck Woman Blues smelled exactly like caramel sauce for ice cream. I sniffed it two or three times before I could pick up the pepper at all. I applied it to my arm (slathered really) and then started to get the full effect of the mosses and herbs along with the sweet caramel. With my body chemistry, they started to blend nicely, and the more I sniffed my arm, the more I couldn't stop. After an hour or so I started to detect a little floral-lilac?-interesting, quite nice! This actually gets better and better the longer I wear it. I have had it on several hours now and it still smells great. It hasn't faded at all. I think this is one scent that is going to improve with age. If I were rated this, and I rarely do, I would give this a 4.5 out of 5.

[edenssixthday]

Bad Luck Woman Blues - This smells strongly of heavy moss, pepper, vetiver and carmel. It's simultaneously raw/earthy and sweet/foody. The heaviness of the scent is reminiscent of Trick #2, but the sweetness of the caramel doesn't blend well, IMO, with the other notes. Keep in mind that I tend to dislike caramel. In fact, I never like it. As the scent dries down the caramel fades a bit and the scent takes on a bit of a dusty aspect to it and starts to smell less earthy and more woody -- it smells like caramel poured over fresh wood notes with a sprinkling of dust on top. This scent definitely doesn't work for me. I am fairly certain that without the caramel, I would like the dark, heavy, depth of this blend. But with the caramel, I can't wear it. The throw and the wear length are both way above average.

[QueenFae]

Dark, complex, spicy, earthy......and oddly familiar to me. Can't put my finger on it, but this reminds me very much of something from my childhood.

 

My first impression is black licorice; spicy, dark, at the back of the spice cupboard. The tobacco note is very strong in this, and it is an odd companion to the sweetness. At first, all I can smell in this is the tobacco, the pepper, and the caramel sweet note.

 

On the dry down, I actually begin to smell a bit of the cologney part of this blend. I can detect an under current of lilac and lime. OOOhhh soooo manly, this Bad Luck Woman Blues!!

 

This is a rather fascinating blend, and I have a feeling the hubbie will like it very much

[shadesong]

In bottle: Ungh. This goes to the hindbrain. Musk and vetiver and dirt.

 

On me: ZOMG. The above, and Spanish moss drapes itself around the scent like a shawl. The moss brings out the sage and cypress. This is deep rich earth and musk and plants that I love. This is freakin' awesome. And then the caramel winds through... yeah. I'm in love. So glad I ordered a bottle!

[Blood onmy hands]

I have mixed feelings about this scent - it's very interesting and intriguing, but I can't pull it off as a perfume at all.

 

In the bottle and first on my skin it smells strongly of green moss and caramel. The combination of foodie, edible caramel and... moss... is a little strange for me. I feel like those two notes shouldn't be together in my mind. The caramel and the addition of the 'dust' ruin this for me, but they're also what make it intriguing.

 

Over time, the caramel of this fades and the scent gets much darker and deeper. It smells like earth (literally like dirt) and the wood of trees. I don't really like black musk, and it is very strong and perfumey in this blend during the opening stages... however, it's bearable for me. The dark musk is like a chilly, man's cologne wafting on a breeze through the forest.

 

After fifteen minutes or so, the 'dust' note in here really is very, very dry. The dust keeps it from feeling like a lush forest to me. This feels like a forest that hasn't seen rain in years and is literally drying up and dying slowly as the dust takes over.

 

It's very interesting because the dust note comes out for me gradually; it's like I can literally smell the forest drying up and turning to dust.

 

Dark, earthy, foresty, and incredibly dry... I keep getting images of The Dust Bowl where fields literally dried up and just blew away in the wind.

 

Bad Luck Woman Blues is too dry for me to wear. It becomes almost painful to smell, like it's getting caught in the back of my throat and suffocating me. Still... it gets points for being very interesting and giving me some vivid imagery.

[PilotKitten]

None of the notes in this blend seem to go together very well. Maybe it's just me. The super-sweet, heavy caramel just doesn't work well with the green sage and moss. It starts off that overwhelming caramel note and mismatched greenery, then dries down to a strong, perfumey musk and very dry woods and dust.

[filigree_shadow]

I didn't like this very much when it was wet because it smelled too much like mossy earth. That dirt kind of smell is pretty strong, and it smells a little odd with the caramel. However, a couple of hours after putting it on, I like it. It smells like caramel, but kind of a masculine caramel -- which sounds strange but works.

 

I'm not sure if I like waiting through the wet stage to get to the good part, so I'm still undecided about this scent.

[jade_starlight]

The first whiff of this was mostly pepper, which had me a bit worried. But luckily the pepper faded almost immediately, letting the moss come out to play, followed quickly by the caramel and something else slightly dusty and spicy that for all I know is the smell of goofer dust. All in all, I like this one a whole lot and will now have to track down a bottle.

[euterpe414]

Hm. On me this is super super earthy (moss and dirt mostly) with a touch of sweetness. Sometimes I detect peppery and dusty notes as well. This scent on me is more in the family of the Premature Burial than Anaconda or another similar foody blend; that is fine with me, too, as I love earthy scents. Honestly, I didn't know what to expect with this one, so I am not at all disappointed by it. It's a very hazy and mysterious scent that lingers over you for a while. This is a very unisex scent to me, I bet it would be great on a guy. Love it!

Edited May 23, 2007 by euterpe414